Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing offers two different methods, the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test and Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging.  Both are new methods in detecting heart disease and can increase the likelihood of finding heart disease by 20% when compared to traditional stress tests.

Dr. Perkins was instrumental in bringing this new service to northeast Iowa, allowing Veterans Memorial Hospital to provide advanced cardiac testing with state-of-the-art technology right here at home. These two new forms of nuclear stress testing are called the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test and Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging. Both methods can increase the likelihood of finding heart disease by 20% when compared to traditional treadmill stress tests.

While traditional treadmill stress testing is still very effective, the new nuclear cardiac testing has many advantages. It can give the location of blockages in the heart and can help determine whether the heart muscle can be saved by a cardiologist. It can also determine the strength at which the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body, and can be used to reassess the heart muscle after a heart attack, after having stents placed in the arteries and after heart surgery. Plus women receive fewer false-positive results with the nuclear testing than they do the traditional treadmill stress testing. Since the new nuclear stress testing allows the physicians to see the heart muscle itself instead of relying on tracings, there are few uncertainties when determining one’s risk for heart disease.

Dr. Steven Perkins, the newest member of the Franciscan Skemp Waukon Clinic medical staff, was instrumental in bringing this service to the area. “For the past three years I have been doing these nuclear tests with Cardiologists and Internal Medicine specialists in Des Moines and I have seen the benefits of detecting coronary artery disease before a heart attack happens,” states Dr. Perkins. “I believe that offering this service will benefit our patients greatly. W will be able to prevent heart attacks and allow all of the medical providers to give the best care possible to all of the people in the Allamakee and northern Clayton County area.

The process of having either the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test or the Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging stress test takes approximately 4 hours total. The patient receiving the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test does still need to exercise on the treadmill while being monitored by the physician. The Lexiscan, or chemical stress test, is a method that can be used on those unable to exercise due to arthritis of the knees, hips, or due to poor exercise tolerance. These tests do have their limitations and some patients with severe COPD or Asthma should not undergo the chemical stress testing. The traditional treadmill stress tests take about 1 ½ hours to perform. It will be up to the provider to determine which test is right for you.

"Prior to this service being added to Veterans Memorial Hospital, many patients would have to go to a larger facility and have a cardiologist perform these tests. Now we are able to provide advanced cardiac testing with state-of-the-art technology right here at home,” adds Dr. Perkins. “This technology will advance our standing in Northeast Iowa and it will continue to show everyone that Veterans Memorial Hospital and the providers associated with it are all top-notch.

These new nuclear stress testing methods, as well as the traditional treadmill stress tests, are now all being offered at Veterans Memorial Hospital on an outpatient basis. Nuclear stress testing is available on Tuesdays by Dr. Steven Perkins. Traditional treadmill stress tests are available any day of the week, but must be scheduled through Dr. Richard Perry, Dr. Benjamin Nesseim, Dr. Dave Schwartz or Dr. Steven Perkins, all of the Franciscan Skemp Waukon Clinic.